Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Recipe Redux has been around for 42 months! We've been grateful to be a part of it, even if we haven't been with them 42 months. This group is a great collection of bloggers that all are trying to make healthy eating a consistent part of their diets. In honor of 42 months, we were challenged to look in our cook books and find a recipe on page 42 or 142 and adapt it to be healthier. 

I ended up with a cookbook that I haven't used for a long time. I really like the recipes and pictures in it. So I was glad I had this challenge. It made me realize I needed to use it more. It is called the Ultimate Low Fat. I changed the "Red Bell Pepper Soup" recipe around a little bit. One of the things I did was roast the red peppers to add more flavor and browned the vegetables. I also made some other changes, such as loading it with vegetables. The end result was a satisfying, healthy bowl of soup. I liked the different dimensions of flavor.  My family enjoyed it too. Great for this time of year. Happy holidays!

Ingredients

12 oz of fresh red pepper, seeds removed

3 T olive oil

1 1/2  whole onions, sliced

5 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies

2 1/4 C tomatoes, pureed

3 3/4 water

2 tsp salt * (more if desired)

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp basil

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

basil leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Place red pepper on a cookie sheet face down. Put in oven heated to broil. Let broil until the outside gets charred. Watch closely so it doesn't cook too long. Take out of the oven, place it in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then peel off charred skin and chop up. 

2. Heat up oil in large pot. Place onions and garlic in pan and stir around and let cook for a few minutes. 

3. Stir in the red pepper and green chilies and continue to cook and let  the vegetables start to turn a light golden color. 

4. Stir in the tomatoes (I did whole tomatoes and blended in the blender a couple times until smooth) and water. Then add, salt, thyme, basil and crushed pepper. Let the mixture come to a low boil. 

5. Turn down the heat and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

6. Pour into blender and pulse a couple times. Serve warm. Garnish with basil leaves

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Cowboy Caviar with Libby's Vegetable Pouches

 

We were given the opportunity through Recipe Redux to try Libby's new Vegetable Pouches. These little pouches were a great substitute for the normal canned vegetables because you can heat the vegetables right in the package. And who doesn't like to do less dishes? :) And considering I just cut my hand on a traditional can last week, it's nice to have a product that won't hurt my clumsy hands.

This Cowboy Caviar is one of our favorite appetizers. We took it to a party and it was a hit. It is a simple, fresh, and healthy salsa that is great on tortilla chips or any of your other favorite dipping devices. This recipe spotlights Libby's farm fresh sweet corn as the primary ingredient.

Ingredients
1 13 oz pouch of Libby's whole kernel sweet corn
2 avocados chopped up
3-4 Roma tomatoes chopped up
1/4 C chopped up purple onion
1 15 oz can of beans drained and rinsed (white, black, garbanzo, or black eyed peas)
1/4 c chopped up cilantro
1/4 C chia (optional)
1/4 C chopped up cilantro
1/4 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
juice from 2 limes

Directions
1. Toss together corn, avocados, tomatoes, onion, beans, and cilantro.
2. Then toss in chia, cilantro, chili powder, salt, pepper, and juice.
3. Serve at once or put in air tight container in the fridge.

I received free samples of Libby’s new Vegetable Pouches mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Libby’s and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

An InLinkz Link-up

Vegetable Lentil Salad

This salad is a great way to eat a lot of vegetables in a healthy way. I loved all the color in it. When you eat a rainbow of colors you know you are getting a nice mixture of nutrients. You get a added bonus of lentils, chia, and quinoa. You get some nice protein in it. I have a nice hand chopper that cubes the vegetables. That makes it really easy. You can find it at Walmart or any store that carries kitchen tools. This is so healthy and good. Winner! Winner!

Ingredients

1 C lentils cooked
1/3 C quinoa cooked (red adds great color
1/3 C chia *optional
1/4 C chopped purple onion
1 sweet potato cooked and cubed
1/4 C yellow pepper chopped in cubes
1/4 C red pepper chopped in cubes
1/2 C zucchini  chopped
1/2 C avocado chopped
2 Roma tomatoes chopped in small pieces
1/4 C cilantro chopped up
juice from one lime
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions
1. Toss all the ingredients in a bowl except juice, salt, pepper and chili powder.
2. Then squeeze on the juice and pour in salt, pepper and chili powder. Toss into salad.
3. Serve at once for best results or cover in an air tight container and put in the fridge until ready to serve.
4. Keep leftovers in airtight container in the fridge.

Lentil Chicken Stew

This month's Recipe Redux challenge is Spooky Spices. I can relate to this topic because when I got married 8 years ago, I received a great spice rack filled with all sorts of spices. And while I have some jars that are regularly empty and being refilled (basil, parsley, oregano), I have others that I probably haven't opened in the last 8 years except to sniff. You know, just to see what they were. (They probably have reached their shelf life at this point and should be thrown out.)

For our Spooky Spice, we chose marjoram. It's not a spice I use frequently, but it's fantastic in soups and stews, dressings and sauces. The lovely thing about using those spices that get dusty in the back of your spice cupboard is that they each have different health benefits. Marjoram has been scientifically proven to help with the gastrointestinal tract. Cool, right?

This stew is a delicious blend of vegetables, legumes, and fresh chicken, and it is very filling. The sweet potato is a fantastic sweetening touch. And although we said the chia was optional, it helps make the soup even more filling, which is great if you're trying to save on calories. Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 onion chopped up
1 1b diced up chicken breasts
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp allspice ground (optional)
1/2 C chia, ground (optional)
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
6 C water
1 C lentils
4 stalks of celery chopped up
1 sweet potato chopped in small pieces


Directions  Serves 8

1. In a large pot heat pan to medium heat and put in onion and garlic stir and let cook about 5 minutes until softened.
2. Stir in the chicken and cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
3. Then stir all of the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Then turn down to medium low. Cook until the potatoes and lentils are soft at least 30-45 minutes.
4. Serve in soup bowls.
5. You can store leftovers in airtight container in fridge or freezer.


Here are some other spices you might be interested in:
Star Anise
Turmeric, Garlic, and Parsley
Chili and Thyme
Cinnamon, Ginger, and Cardamon

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Mexican Cornbread Salad (layered)

I made this yummy salad for my family yesterday. We enjoyed it as we watched LDS  General Conference Yesterday. Its some thing we do twice a year. It is always a sweet time. The salad was a great addition and got enjoyed by all. I only have a little remaining for my lunch today. :) We also enjoyed a beautiful hike up in the mountains behind our house this weekend. The colors of the leaves are so pretty. I loved breathing the fresh air up there too. We live in a beautiful world.  I hope that you had a nice weekend with your family or friends.

This salad has so many wonderful flavors in it. It is a great combination.

 Ranch Cashew Salad dressing

1 C unsalted cashew pieces soaked at least 15 min *
1/4 C almond milk
1/2 C water
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 C dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
2 T dried onion pieces

1. Pour drained cashew pieces in the blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.
2. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
* I put the cashews soaking in water in the microwave for 1 min. It speeds up the soaking process.

Layered Cornbread Salad

Ingredients

1 8x8 cornbread * Here is a whole grain recipe
2 cans black beans drained and washed
2 cans of whole kernel corn drained
2 1/2 C of cheese
2 C mixed salad greens
6 green onions chopped up
3 celery stalks chopped
ranch cashew dressing above or ranch dressing of your choice
5-6  Roma tomatoes chopped up
1/4 chopped cilantro
juice from one lime

Directions  Feeds 12-15

1. Crumble half of the cornbread into the bottom of a large salad bowl.
2. Next layer spread evenly one can of the beans on to the cornbread.
3.  Next layer one can of the corn spread evenly on the beans
4.  Spread on the salad dressing evenly on top of the beans.
5. Spread around the celery.
6. Distribute half of the green onions on top of the celery.
7. Pour 1/2 of the cheese evenly on top of the celery.
8. Crumble the rest of the cornbread on top of the celery.
9. Spread around the mixed salad greens on top.
10. Spread around the other can of black beans.
11. Pour evenly the corn over the beans.
12. Pour on the remaining cheese over the top.
13. Spread the tomatoes on top of the cheese.
14. Then sprinkle on the rest of the green onions.
15. Garnish with cilantro. Squeeze the lime all over the top of the salad.
16. Cover and store in the fridge until ready to serve or serve at once.
17. Enjoy!

Caprese Salad

We have a lot to be grateful for. One of the things was my daughter fell off of an ATV this weekend and got a concussion. We are so grateful for prayers and that she is doing well. She is sore but doing well.  We heard of a not so good outcome of someone else this weekend in an ATV crash. Life is so fragile. You need to love those around you every day.

 The garden has been very good to us this year. We always seem to be able to grow tomatoes the best. This year we have a bumper crop. I need to make some yummy spaghetti sauce with them. We have been enjoying salsa with them too. One of our favorite things to eat. I have always thought Caprese salads looked so pretty. I thought it would be a perfect time to make it with all the tomatoes. We really enjoyed eating it yesterday. It is so easy it also makes me feel European.  Some day I will go there. :)

Ingredients

5-6 sliced roma tomatoes
1 lb roll of mozzarella cheese sliced
handful of basil leaves
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste.

Directions  serves 8

1. Arrange the sliced tomatoes, cheese and basil on the plate.
2. In a small saucepan pour in the vinegar and stir in honey. Place on medium low heat.
3. Stir and let it reduce and thicken for a couple minutes.
4. Drizzle vinegar mixture over the salad.
5. Then drizzle over the oil. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Enjoy!

Easy Homemade Salsa

We love homemade salsa around here. It is hard to eat the store bought now. Store bought doesn't come close to the flavor of homemade. This is so fast and easy to make. My friend who makes salsa all the time says the no name brand of tomatoes at Walmart makes the best salsa. The great thing about this recipe is you can make it all year long. This is something that I make for most family gatherings.

Ingredients:

1 16oz can whole tomatoes*
 1/4 white onion
3 clove of garlic
1 handful  cilantro leaves washed
1/2 fresh jalapeno seeded
2 tsp lime zest
2 T fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Pour all the ingredients into the blender and pulse a couple times. Don"t blend too much if you want it chunky. Serve fresh is best. Put leftovers in the fridge in airtight container.  Enjoy

* You can use a couple ripe Roma tomatoes too. Not necessary though.

Enchilada Nachos

So I wanted to make something fun for my 2 kids for lunch today. This is what I came up with. It was delicious and so easy. We enjoyed it. I laughed because between the two of them one doesn't like beans and the other one doesn't like tomatoes. So between the two of them they gobbled it up, and with my help.  This would be great to serve this weekend. You may want to increase the portions. :)

Ingredients

3 C tortilla chips
1 Can black beans drained and rinsed off
1 small can of green chili mild enchilada sauce
1 C of  grated cheese (I used combo. of sharp and jack cheese)
jalapeño slices (they come in a glass jar) * optional
2 Roma tomatoes chopped up
salad greens *Optional

Directions  serves 3-? Heat oven to broil

1. Spread chips on cookie sheet.

2. Drizzle the enchilada sauce evenly over the chips.

3. Spread the cheese evenly over the chips.

4. Put on some jalapeños if desired. Makes it spicier.

5. Place in oven and watch. Mine was done in less than 2 min.

6. Take out of the oven and garnish with tomatoes.

7. I served it on a bed of spinach and romaine. It tasted good all mixed together. It is a complete meal and it tastes delicious.  Have a great weekend.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I am so excited to be able to make roasted tomato soup at home,and to know what is in it. I have tried different variations of this recipe. The soup has gone over well with my family and it is a nice healthy dinner. Serve it with a little bread and a nice green salad and you have a great meal. It has been fun to learn how to roast tomatoes too. It is very easy. Its like cooking spaghetti sauce--you can add your own touch to it. :)

Ingredients Serves about 8.
3 lbs Roma tomatoes (Little less or little more works too)
1/4 C olive oil = 4 T olive oil
2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 white onions chopped (I just chopped in the blender)
5 garlic cloves pressed
1 T butter or vegan butter
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz ) cans of roasted tomatoes whole or crushed (I used fire roasted Yum!)
5 or 6 fresh basil leaves (if you have them)
1 T dried thyme
3 to 5 T dried basil leaves
4 C water (add more if it is too thick)

Directions
1. Heat oven to 400. Toss tomatoes that have been sliced in 1/4 pieces, into a bowl with olive oil 1 T basil and a little salt and pepper. Spread on cookie sheet. Roast 45 min. Don't let them burn.

2. In a large pot heat on medium heat onions, garlic with and oil, butter and red pepper flakes until golden brown. Add the canned tomatoes and spices, and water. Then add the oven roasted tomatoes too. Bring to boil and then simmer about 35 minutes or until thickened. The flavor gets better as it cooks. I put the large chunks of tomatoes and some liquid, into a blender and pulse for a few seconds.

3. You can add more spice if you prefer. It is wonderful to have extra! I love this soup and it freezes well for lunches! =)

Bruschetta on Whole Grain Bread

Whole Grain Bruschetta

tomatoes

Sliced  bread

This was a yummy snack this afternoon. I loved the color of the tomatoes. Even after cooking them they kept the bright color to them. It is a fancy-looking snack or appetizer to serve your family and friends that doesn't take too long to make.

Ingredients
1 whole grain French bread or baguette
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 C grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 C golden snacking tomatoes, cut in half
3 T olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
8 basil leaves, cut in small strips
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
3 T olive oil
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, minced
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice bread in 1 1/2" diagonal slices. Place on cookie sheet and place in the oven and cook on one side until light brown. Then flip them over and toast them on the other side.
2. While they are toasting mix the tomatoes, oil, vinegar, basil and salt and pepper together. Set aside.
3. Then mix in a small bowl 3 T olive oil and garlic. Brush on to the toasted bread when you take it out of the oven with a pastry brush on one side.
4. Place back in the oven 2 to 3 minutes to let the oil get absorbed into the bread. Take out of the oven.
5. Scoop some tomato mixture on to each piece of bread. Place back in the oven and let it cook 5 to 10 minutes to your desired prefrence. Take out of the oven.
6. Grate cheese on top of each piece of bread. Don't prepare too far in advance or the bread may get soggy. Enjoy!
     

Delicious Mexican Brown Rice

Love this smile

Mexican Brown Rice

The world would be a really sad place without children. I saw this picture of grandson from Christmas and it put a smile on my face. When I am out and about and smile at complete strangers they will smile back. I know it makes my day better and hopefully there's too. It is such a simple act but something we all can do. I love children's smiles and their enthusiasm. I know I could benefit from them rubbing off on me more. I love it when I ask my grandson about preschool. I will say, "How was preschool ? His response every time is. "It was great. It is always great! " Love It! We can make the world a better place one person at a time.  

This was part of our Mexican fiesta on New Years Day. It was a delicious way to enjoy brown rice. It was a great addition to our fajitas. The turmeric in it gives it a nice golden color along with great health benefits. Another great way to enjoy a healthy 2014.

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
1 onion diced
5 cloves garlic minced
3 C Brown rice
6 C water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chicken seasoning
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp turmeric (gives it a pretty golden color)
1 tsp cumin
1 10oz can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

Directions
1. In a large pot heat up the oil on medium heat. Stir in the onions and the garlic. Cook until lightly browned.
2. Stir in the rice and water. Then stir in the salt, chicken seasoning, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, and tomatoes. Let it come to a boil. Let it boil for a couple minutes.  Turn down to medium heat and cook until the rice is soft and the liquid is absorbed.  It should take about 45 to 60 minutes. If you have a pressure cooker it will take about 20 minutes.
3. Serve warm.

Mango Salsa

Happy Graduation Kirsten!

Mango Salsa

It has been a busy and happy couple weeks. One of my daughters graduated from College. :) She is off to Peru for an internship. I don't like the goodbye part, but I am happy for her. My youngest son won region in tennis. :) I had a wonderful relaxing get away with my husband. We enjoyed soaking in the sun, and the warm water. :) My youngest daughter came home for a school break. She has been a wonderful help around the house. She has planted flowers outside. :) Life is very nice. I love my family.

I made this salsa the other day and really enjoyed it.  I loved the added mango. It is hard to go wrong when you use mangos. Yum! It was gobbled up by my family. My daughter took a picture of this. When I get it from her I will post the picture. 

 Ingredients:
4 Diced tomatoes 
2 mango diced
1/4 minced red onion
1 jalapeno pepper minced
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 C chopped cilantro
juice from 3 limes
salt to taste

Directions: 
1. Combine all the ingredients except the salt.
2. Then stir in the salt a little bit at a time until the desired taste is reached. Serve

Cobb Salad (Easter Dinner or anytime)

I have found that bright colors and how it is presented adds to my enjoyment of eating vegetables. My husband has his Dads gift of making food look really nice. He has passed that on to my daughters. My husband made this for our early Easter dinner with our family yesterday. It was a big hit. It tasted delish. I can't wait till he has more time to cook with me. He is an amazing chef. 
This could make a great addition to your Easter meal. I love this time of new birth and the world coming alive with color. :)
 
 Ingredients

Romaine and Spinach washed and chopped up
tomatoes chopped up
frozen peas
cheese
bacon bits
other options: chopped celery, grated carrots, strawberries, purple onions, avocados,cucumbers, and ?


Salad Dressing options:

Raspberry Dressing  

Ingredients:

1 C Grapeseed Oil
1/4 white vinegar
1/4 raspberry sauce
2 to 3 T honey
*1/4 tsp salt and pepper (Optional)


Ranch dressing

1 pkg traditional ranch dressing packet
1 C mayo with olive oil
1 C buttermilk ( I used 1 C milk 1 T vinegar)
2 tomatillos husk removed diced
2 garlic cloves
juice from 1 lime
1 jalapeno seeds removed
1/2 bunch cilantro washed

Directions 


1. In serving bowl  make a bed with the greens covering the bottom.
2. Then make rows of vegetables going across the top.
3. Put ingredients for the dressing in the blender and blend a couple minutes. Serve dressing on the side.  
Happy Easter Week!
 


  
 

    

                     

Chicken Flautas

We are looking forward to welcoming our third grandson. It will be a lot of fun to see what he looks like. I love the wonderful smell of a newborns skin. It is a wonderful gift to have these sweet babies straight from heaven. My heart will stretch bigger and make room for him. I love my other two grandsons to pieces. I love being a grandparent. It is a sweet time of life.

I made these the other day for my sons lunch. He was skeptical. Since he had never had them before.With all the experimenting I do. I understand why he might be. He was pleased how they tasted. It is hard to go wrong with Mexican food. It is one of my top picks to eat.

These come together really easy. I have found that it is handy to cook extra chicken when I am making it for something. Then I shred it and put the extra in the freezer. Then it is fast and easy to use.

Ingredients:
salsa
3 tomatoes cut up
small handful of washed cilantro
1/2 of an onion dice
1/2 jalapeno diced small
juice from one lime 
salt and pepper to taste

filling:
1 C cooked shredded chicken
1/2 C cheese (I used jack)
1 dozen corn tortillas
oil (I used grapeseed oil)
topping options: cheese black beans rice, guacamole, salsa, cilantro 


1. Stir all the ingredients for salsa in a bowl. and then set aside.
2. Soften tortillas with a little water. (You could sprinkle with water and soften 1 min. in the microwave.)  Lay out flat place a small spoonful of chicken and a spoonful of cheese on to the tortilla. roll up tight. Place on a plate seam down until all of them are rolled.
3. Heat oil to medium high heat. I did just enough to cover the bottom. I did not want to deep fry them.
4. Place rolled tortilla seam down. and cook to lightly golden then roll over and cook the other side till lightly golden. Place on a paper towel to absorb the oil.
5. Then serve on a plate with salsa and your other favorite toppings. :)  

Guacamole with Feta and Tomatoes

This is a yummy snack or a great addition to your lunch or dinner. It has a great flavor.  


Ingredients:
2 Avocado pitted and mashed.
1 roma tomato chopped in small pieces
1/4 C fetta cheese
1/8 C chopped purple onion
1 tsp salt
1 T lime juice
1 dash of chili powder

Directions:
1. Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until all combined. Serve or cover and leave in fridge till ready to serve.

 

Blender Tortilla Soup

I am always in the mood for some Mexican food. This soup is a great  way to satisfy that craving. It is quick and loaded with with a lot of great foods too.

Ingredients:
3 Roma tomatoes quartered
1 large peeled carrot
1/2 avocado peeled an pitted
3 T onion
1 C green chilis
2 oz mozzarella cheese or pepper jack cheese
3 sprigs fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 1/4 C warm water
1 can black beans or pinto beans drained and washed
*optional toppings cheese, green onions, chips, sour cream 

Directions: 
1. Pour all the ingredients in a jar except the beans and optional toppings. Blend until all smooth about 2-3 min. 
2. Add beans and pulse a couple seconds. Serve with your favorite topping. Yum!  
 

Yummy Roasted Tomatilo Chicken Chili

It is starting to cool down during the day around here. It is a great time of year for chili. Chicken chili is one of my favorite kind to make. I have made different versions of it. This version is my favorite so far. It made a great dinner and the leftovers made a great lunch. Yum! Have a great weekend.

Ingredients: 
2 T grape seed oil or olive oil 
1/2 white onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
6-8 small tomatilos chopped up (you can buy them canned)
1 jalapeno deseeded and diced
1 small can green chili's
2 boneless chicken breast fully cooked cubed
1 C of chicken broth
6-8 tomatoes diced or 1- 16 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp cumin
2 can of shoe peg corn
1 16oz can of white beans (I used cannellini beans) 
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful of cilantro
garnish with cheese, chips, sour cream, lettuce, salsa etc..


Directions:  
1. In a skillet heat up oil on med. high heat. Pour in the onions and let cook till soft about 5 min. 
2. Then add minced garlic, and tomatilos. Let the tomatilos roast a little getting slightly brown.
3.  Stir in the jalapeno and chili's cook and stir. Let cook a couple minutes together. 
4.Then stir in the chicken and broth. Turn down to medium heat. Let it cook together for 10 min. on low heat. So all the flavors can meld together nicely.  
5. Stir in the tomatoes and cumin cook another 5 min. 
6. Stir in the corn, beans, and salt and pepper to taste. Throw in some cilantro. Cook another 5 min. 
7. Serve on tortilla chips hot and top with your favorite topping.     

Shrimp salad with Brown Rice

Shrimp Salad

I love recipes with shrimp. :)  Shrimp is my favorite way to eat fish. This was a nice combination and easy to make as well. That makes it even better. It is nice to have options for light easy meals. You could put this mixture into taco  shells or tortillas, if you cut off the tails ahead of time. This would be a wonderful summer salad.


Ingredients: 4 servings
1 1/2 lb frozen cooked shrimp
1 T oil
1/3 C water
1/4 to 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 to 1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 avocado chopped up
2 roma tomatoes chopped
1/4 C purple onion chopped up
1 to 1 1/2 C chopped coleslaw or cut up cabbage
2-3 C cooked brown rice
top with lime juice and chili powder 


Directions:
1. Heat skillet with oil. pour in the shrimp and water and chili powder. Heat for just a couple minutes. Place lid on to let them heat up faster. Don't over cook they will become tough. Add salt after cooking then set aside with lid on the pan. 
2. In individual bowls place 1/2 C of brown rice, then place the shrimp on top 6-7 (you could cut off the tails ahead of time), then 1/4 C coleslaw or cut cabbage, then chopped up avocados, onion, and tomatoes on tossed on top. Sprinkle chili powder on top if desired, a little salt and fresh lime juice. Enjoy! 

Basil Tomato Soup

My sweet friend Sherry gave me this tomato soup to try. It was nice to be able to make a great soup out of canned tomatoes. I was pleased how it turned out. A great meal for these cold nights we are having. It would make a great lunch too. It makes a lot, so if you are not feeding a crowd you could freeze some or, take some to a friend. :)

Tomato Soup

Saute in olive oil:

2 onions, sliced

4 garlic sections, sliced or chopped (if I use roasted garlic, I will use 10-12 cloves)

Add: 1 #10 can crushed tomatoes (really cheap at Costco) (if you use stewed tomatoes, drain, then blend with basil until coarsely pureed) (I used mostly fire roasted crushed tomatoes :)

2 Cups Chicken Broth (or water with thyme and salt)

1-2 large handful fresh basil, chopped or dried

pepper, freshly ground

salt if needed

Simmer for several hours, the longer, the better.

You may add cream if you wish, but I think it is delicious without.

Another delicious alternative is to roast your garlic ahead of time and any garden tomatoes and add those. ( I did use roasted garlic and I had 3 vine rip tomatoes I added as well.) Thanks Sherry for sharing your recipe.

Here is a recipe with fresh tomato soup

Guacamole with Tortillas and Vegetables

I had some avocados so I wanted to put them to good use. This made a nice meal. You could lots of different kind of vegetables and throw them on top of the guacamole. My son was asking for more after it was all gone. That was a good sign. He likes the homemade tortillas too. We love guacamole around here. :) This has some extras in it, to make it extra yummy. This is another light and easy meal.

Ingredients: Serves 4
Guacamole:
2 ripe avocados
1/4 to 1/2 tsp chili powder
2 minced garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 T salsa
1 to 2 T lime juice
1/4 C finely chopped white onion or purple
2 Roma tomatoes chopped in small pieces

Vegetable tortillas:
guacamole (recipe above)
6 whole grain homemade or store bought tortillas (I used spelt flour for the homemade tortillas)
cut up vegetables zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, mushrooms, green onions etc....
salsa
Directions:

1. For the guacamole prep. Mash up the avocados till all smooth. Then mix in everything but, the onions and tomatoes. Then fold the onions and tomatoes in.

2. Then spread about 1 T guacamole on tortillas and then a thin layer of salsa. Throw on the vegetables of your choice. Then drizzle on some more salsa. Fold them in half. Serve!